Archive for July 2nd, 2015

Alright all, here is another segment concerning the LGBT objections. It is our prayer that the Lord will use this material to edify the body of Christ concerning the attacks against God’s Word concerning the Gospel.

LGBT Objection: Jesus never spoke out against Homosexuality.

Response:

To answer this question, we need to understand the doctrine of the Trinity. Jesus who is the second person of the Trinity, was behind the judgment of Sodom and Gomorrah (Gen. 18-19) and the very person behind the prohibition against Homosexuals (Lev. 18:22; 20:13). To deny that reality is to deny the eternality of Christ. He was at creation. In fact, the world would not be a present reality if it was not for Christ (Col. 1:17). Apostle John referred to His eternality in John 1:1, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” He is described as the Word being with the Father not only at creation, but before creation. If that is not enough, Jesus Himself mentioned his eternality in John 8:58 when confronted by the Jews. “Jesus said to them, ‘Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was born, I am.'” He was alive before Abraham was born. In principle, we clearly know that Jesus was present at the condemnation of Sodom and Gomorrah and was the authoritative base that provided the prohibitions against homsexuality in Leviticus 18:22; 20:13.

It’s true that there are no statements in the NT of Jesus specifically giving an isolated condemnation against homosexuality. However, this is where they err by misrepresenting Scripture. They are guilty of begging the question. To deny that Jesus never gave prohibitions against homosexuality is to deny the indissolubility of their union. They can never be divided. The Father, Son, and the Holy Spirit never works against one another. They are always in harmony no matter the topic. An eternal God demands an eternal sovereign will. The God-head is never one step behind one another.

Food for thought for LGBT proponents. Just because Jesus did not address isolated sins individually such as rape, incest, bestiality, etc., are we to say that He sanctioned them? That is faulty hermeneutics. There are many things Jesus did and said, but they were never recorded (John 21:25).

By the way, Jesus, the God-man, in His hypostatic union, mentioned many of those sins (not individually) in Matthew Matt. 15:15-20; Mark 7:21-23. It is not presented in the liking of the LGBT proponents, but He did address homosexuality. It is found in this key word: πορνεία (porneia). The word has a broad range that covers every kind of immorality, including beastiality (immoral intercourse with a beast), immoral intercourse with a close relative, etc. Imagine one was to debate over the statement: “Congratulations Warriors, you are 2015 NBA Champions.” The conjecture from the critic would be that it is not in reference to every single player in the Warriors uniform. That would be a far-fetched conclusion because in context in terms of how that congratulatory term is used, has been predominately implemented in reference to every single player in the team. Even though the congratulatory remark does not list the individual names, it does not mean it was not addressed to every player. The same logic applies to the passages in Matthew 15:15-20 and Mark 7:21-23, whereby the word porneia is used. Jesus was condemning all of the sexually deviate behaviors. Beloved, Christ is eternal. He is truth. He is holy. He will never contradict Himself.

If the argument upholds the notion that Jesus was not against homosexuality because there was no individually isolated prohibitions, then that same ill logic needs to apply to other sins that Jesus did not address individually: pederasty, bestiality, necromancy, etc. You see, the attempt to excuse homosexuality is nothing short of revisionist history. They fall into a slippery slop when they blaspheme the institute of marriage as defined by God.

Why did Jesus condemn homosexuality? He repudiated it because it was an abominable act that went against Gen. 2:22-24. The fact that God made them “male and female” which was anchored in the foundation of creation, predicated against polygamy and any other deviant sexual lifestyles. Hence, there is no condoning of same-sex relationship nor any room for more than two persons. To do so would violate the permanent bond of the one-flesh union. Only a monogamous relationship between a man and a woman can achieve the permanent bond of the one-flesh union. To open-up the doors for same-sex relationships would entail a hostile act against the Gospel. In fact, the Gospel only became a reality because the woman would bear a seed–the seed who would be Christ (Gen. 3:15). And Christ would be the example for His people of how a marriage between a man and woman looks (Eph. 5:22-33). No one in the face of the earth held onto the definition marriage to the highest esteem than Jesus Christ did. Remember what He said to the religious leaders in Matthew 19?

Some Pharisees came to Jesus, testing Him and asking, “Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife for any reason at all?”4 And He answered and said,“Have you not read that He who created them from the beginning made them male and female,5 and said, ‘For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, andthe two shall become one flesh’?6 So they are no longer two, but one flesh. What therefore God has joined together, let no man separate.” ~ NASB

Our nation experienced a great deal of controversy last Friday from the 5-4 SCOTUS ruling. A ruling that has shifted the moral trajectory of our nation. With a shift that is colossal in nature, it will be very important for Christians to give an answer to why we object to all forms of homosexual orientation. 1 Peter 3:15, “But sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence” (NASB). We also will need to be reminded that as abominable the sin of homosexuality is, the gay community must be a mission field for us. We will be fighting in all fronts: abortion, Islam, cults, and even gay marriage. But as I read this book, I can’t help but to think about the author’s love for this community. How can we not love them? Remember what Paul says in 1 Corinthians 6:9-11? Here it is. I will also modify some of the fonts so we can be reminded of who we (Christians) were once:

Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived; neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, noreffeminate, nor homosexuals,10 nor thieves, nor the covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers, will inherit the kingdom of God.11SUCH WERE SOME OF YOU; but you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the Spirit of our God.”

Wow, that should change our attitude from being hateful to being loving. I am not saying to water down the Gospel. Let the Gospel be the offense because it naturally functions that way to the prideful anyway. But may we have attitudes of love towards the lost. I am reminded of my professor’s quote: “When we confuse our mission field as our enemy, the Great Commission is impossible” (Pastor Rick Holland). That needs to be preached as a reminder to my heart over and over.

In addition, what else can I communicate concerning this book? It is a simple and very short read. It covers many of the major points that Christians will need to consider with they are dealing with homosexuals and even those who have stated that they have submitted to Christ as their Lord and Savior, but still at times struggle with same-sex attraction. How does one deal with that? How does one counsel someone struggling with SSA? I believe the author could of been more descriptive concerning the issue of same-sex attraction/desire, which I believe is a sin, but due the size of the book, it may cause one to loose focus on the main points of the book. Overall, I recommend this book.